


The notebook

by dc4me44



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Henry is still a teen, SQ is endgame, Swan Queen Week Winter 2018, but they were and it's referenced and it's why the plot here happens, but they're not together when this fic happens, cs are no longer a thing for reasons revealed in the fic, day 2 - movie night, in case you want to stay away, just so you know, like heck I would waste my time writing a story where Emma and Regina are not together, oh also kinda implied past CS, post 702 but without hyperion heights and the time jump, what am I? Adam and Eddie? My time is too valuable to waste on anything that's not SQendgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 08:48:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13586547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dc4me44/pseuds/dc4me44
Summary: "It's one of my favourites. It reminds me of us," she lifts her other free hand to wipe the tear from Regina's face."How so?""We were both stupid, but we came together in the end. You also risked your life to help me remember who I was. I know now it's because you love me."





	The notebook

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote 90% of this fic on the train on my way to work and back home as well as on my lunch break, instead of you know interact with people. So I assume it will have mistakes. Let me know what you think of the plot though. Please read the tags for disclaimers.

Ever since the filthy pirate abandoned Emma, the blonde has been inconsolable. As far as Regina was concerned, he was lucky he went who knows where and on what realm because there was no way Regina wouldn't go after him and kill him, just to revive him and kill him again for how he abandoned Emma. He abandoned Emma just after she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. The blonde didn't even manage to name the baby when he just packed his ship and left, cancelling their marriage. So much for the so called true love. It's not a surprise that Emma was inconsolable, after all this was the second time she was abandoned by a man she's had a child with.

 

Regina stepped in almost immediately to take care of Emma and the baby. Henry was apprehensive at that time, after all, it felt like Emma tried to replace him and have a second chance at raising a child. He felt bitter about it and sought refuge in Regina's arms. Regina wanted to cry in frustration. She not only had Henry to take care of emotionally she also now had Emma.

 

At Regina's insistence Emma moved into the mansion. It was better for the baby and Emma, and easier on Regina to keep an eye on them. Henry still didn't come out of his grumpy state. He was still furious at Emma, throwing accusations at her when he thought Regina was out of earshot. The brunette found herself having to intervene, only for Henry to start seething at both of them. So Regina would usually give him $20 to get him out of the house "take your friends to the movies," she would say. He would leave slamming the door.

 

Emma would just curl into a ball and not even let herself cry. So Regina would take her to the living room where she would put on a movie of their own and they would watch in silence while munching on popcorn. She learned long ago to not go poking around Emma's feelings.

 

Then one night Regina decided enough was enough.

 

"Henry, would you mind watching your sister for a few hours?" He scowled at her and if he could he would probably burn a hole through her.

 

"She's not my sister."

 

"Henry, that's enough. Go to your room."

 

"Fine," he said stomping on the stairs and then slammed the door which in turn woke up the baby.

 

She called Snow and asked her to look after Henry and the baby while she planned to take Emma out of town.

 

She took Emma to an outside movie theater in a nearby town. Emma was quiet for most of the ride there. When they got there they sat in silence waiting for the movie to start.

 

"This is the first time we are taking your car, outside Storybrooke," Emma remarks looking at Regina. The brunette turns her head towards her and looks into the blonde's eyes.

 

"Well, not all change is bad change," Regina said smiling.

 

"Yeah, I guess."

 

Silence envelops them again. Emma looks ahead at the screen that's still blank. She let's out a sigh.

 

"You know this is the second child of mine you're actually raising."

 

"It hasn't escaped my notice."

 

"She's on my 5 weeks old but, you've been her mother more than I have."

 

"I'm just helping you Emma."

 

"We both know this is so much more then helping me," at Regina's frown the blonde continues "these past few weeks I've went through so many emotions. It's not only post partum anxiety and depression but also a lot of... well.. soul searching."

 

"I understand, Emma."

 

"This is the second time I've been left with a child, all on my own."

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"I was too. But I guess something good came out it."

 

"What?"

 

"You," Emma whispers and Regina can't believe she's hearing that.

 

"Emma..."

 

"He left because he thought I cheated on him. He said the baby wasn't his."

 

"Did you?"

 

"Did I cheat on him? Physically no."

 

Regina frowns. Are there different types of cheating? Isn't cheating just cheating?

 

"My heart was never his. He forced his way in my life and I just gave in wanting to be in a relationship. But for all the show we put on we were never, I was never committed fully."

 

Regina stays silent letting Emma continue.

 

"I kept saying he's my true love, because that's what my parents wanted, but he never was. We never broke any curse. True love is the most powerful magic that can break any curse, yet we never did any of that. He never crossed realms for me, he never broke a curse with me, he was never by my side and we never did things together no matter what I was telling other people. "

 

"Emma," Regina's heart was breaking for the blonde. She was as desperate as Emma herself to have a partner and so picked up an asshole for one.

 

"All this time I was looking for love in all the wrong places. My true love was always in front of me, I was just too blind to see it. Sarah opened my eyes."

 

Regina wasn't sure where all this was going, but she hoped she was going in a direction she only dreamed off. The movie started to play in the background. They went to a night screening of "The Notebook." Emma's choice.

 

"Oh goodness," Emma started to rub her face, "I think I might get sick."

 

Regina's worry was instant and her hand made it to Emma's back.

 

"I'm just so nervous. I know it's a lot to ask but please don't be angry at me for what I'm about to tell you."

 

Regina squeezes her hand as a form of assurance.

 

"Sarah's not his child. She never was. At first I was shocked that he accused me of cheating, then I was angry yet another lover left me alone with a baby to fend for myself. But as I spent time with her I could see it too. She's not his child.  Sarah is a true love child. "

 

Regina frowns. Emma just said that the pirate was never her true love.

 

"You said he's not your true love."

 

"He's not. But Sarah's other parent is."

 

And that was odd because Emma just said she never physically cheated. Now she was very confused.

 

"Remember when we got attacked by that Zerg bug?"

 

"Yes...?" Regina's unsure what Emma tries to say.

 

"And then how we used magic to defeat it?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"Well, umm there's no nice way to say this but... You got me pregnant."

 

Regina just stares at her, wide eyed, her mouth falling open in the process. She has enough sense to shake her head when Emma calls her name.

 

"I'm sorry. I thought I heard you say I somehow got you pregnant while we were making magic? Magic that was meant to save you?"

 

"It did save me. In more than one way."

 

Regina let's out a sigh of defeat.

 

"Emma, i-it's a lot to take in," she stutters for a moment. Queens don't stutter, yet here she is.

 

"I know, for what's worth I'm sorry." Emma at least has the decency to look sorry. She dragged Regina to an outdoor movie theater, outside Storybrooke and they'll be stuck in the car for another one hour on the way back to Storybrooke. She cornered Regina and she now feels sorry.

 

The blonde looks down in her lap, thinking that maybe she now messed things with Regina for good. Like heck they didn't even kiss and Emma drops the bomb that they made a baby.

 

They look in silence at the movie, not really seeing it or hearing it.

 

"Emma, I think we need to address the elephant in the room... Or car as it is." she says rolling her eyes at herself.

 

"Yeah?"

 

"You love me?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Since when?"

 

"Since the moment you invited me in for cider."

 

Regina looks at her for a moment then she looks away at the movie.

 

"Regina" Emma's scared of what her revelation will do now to their relationship.

 

"All this time Emma? All this time?"

 

"I..."

 

"You married someone else, I was free, when he left you, I was free yet you went back to him. Why?"

 

"I thought you didn't love me. You jumped at the first guy that showed interest in you."

 

"Because I didn't want to be alone. You were either with Neal or the pirate, the monkey, pirate again. You went to hell for him Emma, and you're telling me you love me? You expect me to believe we have true love?"

 

"I'm sorry. I don't know. I don't know what was wrong with me. I thought it was what everyone wanted of me."

 

"I didn't. I told you I didn't like him," Regina looks into Emma's eyes when she says this, the movie lost on them both.

 

"I know but you were in a relationship. It's not like I could just shrug it off and pretend all was good when you were fucking someone else."

 

"So instead you did the same?"

 

"I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't do relationships very well," Emma wraps her arms around herself, as if it's the only thing holding her together.

 

Regina sort of feels pity for the blonde. She's in the same boat as Emma. Just as damaged as Emma. Perhaps Emma should have said something, but then Regina could have said something too. Not hold back and call Emma out on her shit.

 

"Is there anything else I should be aware off?" Regina asks, her tone quiet. Surprisingly it doesn't come out as an accusation, she didn't mean it like an accusation.

 

"I prepared the papers for Sarah and I think it's appropriate if you put your name in the father section. Well other parent section."

 

Despite their situation Regina starts to laugh. Emma is confused at the brunette's reaction, if not even a bit offended.

 

"What is it with us raising and having children together before we are even a couple?"

 

Emma blinks in surprise and when she doesn't say anything Regina continues.

 

"You offered to raise Zelena's baby with me, despite being engaged to someone else. Why?"

 

"I think you are a great mom. I wouldn't want anyone else raising my kids but you."

 

Regina smiles at the blonde and once again grabs her hand entwining their fingers together. They both look at the movie in relative silence. Right towards the end Emma turns to look at Regina. The movie is as emotional as it can get, and the brunette, despite her tough exterior, is battling to not let her tears fall. Emma looks at her and wonders how is it that she never actually spent time just staring and admiring Regina, properly stare and admire her. By the time the movie is over a tear escapes Regina's eye as Emma continues to watch her.

 

"This movie never fails to make me cry. For a date night you picked up the wrong movie Emma."

 

"It's one of my favourites. It reminds me of us," she lifts her other free hand to wipe the tear from Regina's face.

 

"How so?"

 

"We were both stupid, but we came together in the end. You also risked your life to help me remember who I was. I know now it's because you love me," her hand is still on Regina's cheek, her thumb drawing small circles. Regina lifts her own hand to cover Emma's.

 

"Always."

 

The answer makes Emma's own eyes water, she knows what the brunette is quoting at her.

 

"May I kiss you, Regina?" The brunette's smile is dazzling and it makes Emma's legs go weak.

 

"I thought you'd never ask," comes the reply.

 

Their lips finally meet, for the first time ever, and it's somehow bittersweet, both regretting every single moment they wasted not being together. It is by far the best kiss they both experienced, and the both understand now what it means to actually be with your true love. As their kiss deepens, they both can see why you can never get enough of the other person when you truly love them.

 

"Wow," Emma lets out an exhale when they part for air.

 

"Indeed."

 

And the blonde pulls the brunette back in for another kiss, one of the countless many that will follow. They still had to sort through so much stuff, so much hurt feelings and unspoken things, but they will deal with that as they always did. Together. 

 

 

 

**The end**

 

 


End file.
